The present invention relates generally to plumbing devices, and more particularly to a laser plumb that is stabilized.
A plumb is a device used to ensure alignment along a particular axis, exploiting the force of gravity. Plumbs are used extensively in the construction and mining industries.
A simple plumb is formed by attaching a pointed weight to a thread. Although inexpensive, such plumbs are cumbersome to use: they take a long time to arrive at their position of equilibrium, and may be easily disturbed. Other plumbs make use of the gravitational orientation of water bubbles. These too, only gradually reach their equilibrium position, and are easily perturbed.
As lasers have become readily available and economical, they have been employed in laser plumbing devices. The lasers of such devices are aligned in such devices along the gravitational axis in several different ways. For example, the laser may be part of a simple pendulum.
Typically, laser plumbs perform better than conventional plumbs as the process of plumbing is less cumbersome and the time to arrive at the equilibrium position is shortened. In order to help the plumb settle faster, some laser plumbs are damped.
Once in equilibrium, however, these laser plumbs do not have the ability to maintain their orientation under the influence of external disturbances. In practical applications, it is almost impossible to eliminate external disturbances. Inaccurate plumbing can cause machines and structures to perform poorly or fail catastrophically.
Another shortcoming of existing plumbs is the inability to measure floor tilt. Such tilt information allows for improved horizontal leveling.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved laser plumbing device.
An exemplary laser plumb includes a laser, and a mass that is rotatable about a spin axis to stabilize the laser. The mass is mounted to a support to be pivotable about at least one axis, and preferably two axes. The two axes are perpendicular to each other and the spin axis. The laser is mounted to the mass to maintain its orientation relative to the support, as the mass rotates about the spin axis. A weight below the tilt axes aligns the spin axis with the gravitational axis. Rotating the mass about its spin axis stabilizes orientation of the laser. Preferably, the mass and laser are mounted to the support by a gimballed mount.
The exemplary plumb optionally includes markings on its base to measure a deflection of the laser from the support, thereby allowing measurement of the angle of inclination of a surface supporting the base.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a laser plumb, including a base; a support, extending from the base; a rotatable mass pivotably mounted to the support, for rotation about a spin axis and pivotable to allow tilting of the spin axis relative the support about a first tilt axis perpendicular to the spin axis; a weight mounted to the mass beneath the first tilt axis to align the spin axis under the influence of gravity; a laser mounted to the weight, to emit a beam of light along a beam axis, the beam axis pivotable with the mass under the influence of gravity, so as to extend in a fixed direction relative to the direction of gravity when the weight is in equilibrium under the influence of gravity; a motor to spin the mass about the spin axis, so that the angular momentum attributable to the rotatable mass stabilizes the laser.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a laser plumb including a mass that is rotatable about a spin axis, the mass mounted to a support to be pivotable about two axes, the two axes perpendicular to each other and the spin axis; a laser mounted to the mass, to maintain its orientation relative to the support, as the mass rotates about the spin axis.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a laser plumb including, a support; a gimballed gyroscope mounted to the support, the gimballed gyroscope including a flywheel rotatable about a spin axis; a weight mounted to the gyroscope to exert a force on the flywheel to align its spin axis relative to the support, toward the gravitational axis; a laser mounted to the gyroscope, to emit a light beam along an axis having a fixed orientation relative to the spin axis.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a laser plumb including a support; a gimballed mount mounted to the support for rotation about first and second mutually perpendicular tilt axes; a flywheel supported by the gimballed mount, rotatable about a spin axis perpendicular to the first and second tilt axes; a weight mounted to the gimballed mount, to having a center of gravity beneath the first and second tilt axes; a laser coupled to the gimballed mount, having a fixed orientation relative to the spin axis.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of generating a laser plumb line, by way of a laser plumb. The laser plumb includes a laser mounted to a mass. The mass is rotatable about a spin axis. The spin axis is tiltable about at least one tilt axis normal to the force of gravity. The spin axis tiltable with the mass. The method includes, generating a laser beam along a beam axis; aligning the spin axis with the force of gravity; and rotating the mass to gyroscopically stabilize the laser beam along the beam axis.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.